Goodbye To Loneliness
by xXCarlaLouiseXx
Summary: Gaara knows he could be a good best friend, if only someone would give him a chance. AU. NaruGaa. High school fic.


**A/N: Hi to all of the awesomeful people who decided to check out my fic :D **

**So I originally wrote this for a different fandom, but I really wanted to try Naruto for a change so I changed it to NaruGaa because that's my favourite pairing. This is my first attempt at a Naruto fic and I'm kind of intimidated by the fact that this fandom is a lot bigger than the other one I write for. Therefore I am extremely nervous about submiting this so please be nice.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**I hope you enjoy the story.**

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><p>I pulled the blood red scarf that my sister had forced me to wear up a little further in an unsuccessful attempt to shield my face from the cold, harsh wind as I walked the dark, lonely streets. I didn't care that you would have to have a death wish to go out for a walk in the middle of winter in Konoha –it gets ridiculously cold here at this time of year-, I had to get out of my house.<p>

My dad was home for the weekend again, and if I had stayed there any longer the awkward atmosphere would have driven me insane. So I decided to go for a walk to the park, since it was probably the most peaceful place in town at this hour.

It was at times like this that I realized just how lonely I was.

I was the only person in town without a best friend. There had been possible candidates, but as the years drifted by they all seemed to leave me for someone better. Neji gravitated towards Tenten, Sasuke and Naruto became more or less inseparable and even Kiba somehow ended up convincing Shino to have some form of a social life. Shikamaru and Chouji have been best friends since before they even knew how to tie their own shoelaces, so there was no point in me even attempting to be best friends with either of them.

I know I'm not the friendliest person in the world, but I had been finding it a lot easier to talk to people since that first day of high school, when I first met Naruto Uzumaki. He was the only person in the class who seemed to have a problem with me sitting by myself in the shadowy corner at the back of the classroom. I joined his friendship group –unwillingly- and actually trying to get along with people didn't seem so difficult after that.

Soon I found myself with a lot more acquaintances, but no best friend. I had no one to run to with my problems and secrets, no one to go on wild adventures with or to help me come up with crazy ideas that didn't really work out, but were fun to try out anyway. I didn't particularly mind though. What really bothered me was that nagging little voice at the back of my mind, which always seemed to ask the same questions:

Is it my fault?

Is there something wrong with me?

Will I be this lonely forever?

These questions constantly plagued my thoughts, even more so when I was alone. So the whole taking-a-walk-to-clear-my-head thing wasn't exactly going as planned. In fact the idea was abandoned completely when I finally reached the park and the familiar orange jacket of a certain blonde caught my eye. I picked up my pace; almost breaking into a jog when I realized that the figure sprawled across an ice coated park bench was in fact Naruto.

Naruto was lying across the bench, seemingly asleep, but that didn't stop the small, trembling shivers that disturbed the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

I let a small smile grace my otherwise guarded features as I approached the other teen "Naruto, wake up, you can't sleep here." I instructed, prodding his shoulder tentatively. When he didn't respond I began to worry. How long had he been out here in these temperatures? My smile abruptly fell. "Naruto?" I questioned, gently shaking the blonde teen.

Naruto rolled onto his back and rubbed his eyes sleepily "Gaara?" He murmured, pressing his hand to his head dizzily. "What are you doing here? Where's Sasuke?"

I found myself feeling highly concerned about the dullness of his usually more vibrant, blue eyes and the way he stared of into the distance as he fought off sleep. "Naruto, how long have you been out here?" I asked, crouching to his level and helping him to sit up.

"A while," he answered drowsily, his voice sounding weaker than usual. "Sasuke said he had to go home for a little while and that he would be right back, so I've been waiting for him." He explained. "That was a while ago now though."

The orange-loving teen fell forwards, forcing me to catch him and push him back up onto the bench. "Naruto!" I raised my voice, beginning to panic. I knew that it would be dangerous to let him sleep in this state.

"Hmmm?" Naruto mumbled.

"You have to stay awake ok?" I requested, pushing some hair out of the slightly taller teen's face. "Can you do that?"

"Ok," he nodded. "I'll try."

"Good, now let's get you home." I stated. I grabbed both of Naruto's hands, pulling him up into a standing position. Then I hooked his left arm over my shoulders, holding it in place with my left hand as I wrapped my free arm around Naruto's waist in order to support his weight. I began to walk, making sure that Naruto stayed both upright and awake.

"Gaara?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes?" I answered.

"Sasuke's not coming back anytime soon, is he?" Naruto replied, his head lulling onto my shoulder. "I mean what if he shows up and I'm not there?"

I felt an unexpected surge of anger at this question. How could Sasuke just leave him waiting there like that? Naruto was his best friend; he could have at least called and told him that he wasn't going to turn up. I was absolutely certain that I would make a better best friend than that… if I had someone to call a 'best friend'.

Pushing aside my irritation, I let out a sigh and answered. "It's almost eleven o'clock on a school night, I doubt Sasuke will be coming back here tonight Naruto."

"Oh," Naruto mumbled. "Ok." For some inexplicable reason I felt my chest clench at the tone to his voice, almost as if I could feel his disappointment.

I really didn't like the way he accepted my answer so easily, it made me wonder if this had ever happened before. After a few moments of silence I decided to find out before the thought started to annoy the hell out of me. "Naruto, has Sasuke ever done this before?" I asked cautiously. "Ditched you like this I mean."

"He doesn't ditch me," Naruto argued, causing me to smile a little. Even in this state he had a fiery, defiant attitude. "He just... he..." he paused, realizing he couldn't think of a way to finish the sentence. "He doesn't ditch me ok?"

"That doesn't answer my question," I pointed out. He refused to respond so I added "It just seems like you're used to him letting you down like this. That's all."

"Well you're wrong. I'm not 'used to it', and Sasuke does not 'let me down'," Naruto snapped. Then we walked in silence for a while, until he interrupted with a groan of "G-Gaara?"

"Yes?" I answered.

"I'm c-cold." he shivered, nuzzling into me slightly.

Ok so that was weird. I really wasn't used to someone being that close to me. "Oh, so you're only just noticing this, are you?" I chuckled awkwardly, fighting back a blush that threatened to creep along my face at the close proximity of the blonde. "Well, we're almost th-"

"Hold me closer," Naruto demanded, cutting my sentence short as he flung his other arm around my neck in an unexpected burst of energy, pressing his face against my neck.

I instantly froze, the blush finally winning out and bursting across my face in a brilliant display of scarlet growing in intensity with every second that passed. "Naruto," I warned. "You're almost hypothermic; you don't know what you're doing right now." Though I knew Naruto wasn't listening to me.

"Yeah I do," Naruto argued in an almost child-like way. "So what? I'm not allowed to hug my best friend now?" He questioned.

My eyes widened almost comically upon hearing that sentence. Did Naruto really see me as a best friend? I shook my head reminding myself of the fact that Naruto wasn't in the right frame of mind at that moment. "Sasuke is your best friend Naruto, not me," I corrected. "I am no one's best friend." It hurt more than I thought it would to admit that out loud, but it was the truth.

"Really?" Naruto questioned. "Do you see him helping me to get home safely? No, he's at home right now and he's probably forgotten all about me. Besides I'm allowed to have two best friends, there's no rule book saying that I can only have one." He ranted sleepily. "Now shut up and hug me back."

"Fine." I sighed, wrapping my arms around him and beginning to walk forwards again, taking him with me. This was quite difficult since he was taller than me and heavier than he looked, which I decided was down to the fact that he ate ramen like it was going out of style, or maybe I was a lot weaker than I had originally thought. It must have been the first of the two because I refused to believe the latter, I am no weakling… no matter what Kankuro says. "Besides you'll probably forget all about this conversation by the time you wake-" My sentence ended too soon again as I felt something press against his neck through the thin material of that stupid scarf Temari made me wear. "N-Naruto?" I stammered.

He froze at my questioning tone, instantly realizing what he had done and whom he had done it to. "Y-Yeah?" he replied. I couldn't tell whether the stammer was due to the cold or nerves.

"Did you… just … kiss my neck?" I asked, a mixture of shock and nervousness creeping into my system.

"Uh... no." Naruto answered, although he seemed to tense slightly. "N-no I didn't."

I was about to argue, but I quickly realized that we had reached Naruto's street. Shifting his weight a little, I soon located the right house and practically carried the sleeping boy up his front steps. "Naruto, we're here." I stated, shaking the blonde a little and knocking on the door.

"Mmm hmm." Naruto mumbled, obviously finding it considerably more difficult to stay awake.

After a few moments of silence the door flung open to reveal Naruto's extremely stressed out foster father. "NARUTO! YOU HAD ME SO WORRIED! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN YOUNG MAN?" He yelled, obviously not realizing that the boy was half asleep.

"I found him sleeping in the park." I explained. "So I woke him up and brought him back here."

To tell you the truth, everyone in class found Iruka a little intimidating when Naruto was involved. He was scarily protective over the blonde and on top of that he was our teacher so he could fail us anytime he wanted to. Although I had to admit that I would rather have an embarrassingly protective father like Iruka than an uncaring one like mine.

Naruto was snatched out of my arms quicker than I could blink. "OH MY! IS HE ALRIGHT?" Iruka questioned, clutching Naruto in his arms and shaking him slightly.

"He kept saying he was cold." I answered. "I managed to keep him awake for a while, but now I think-"

"I'm alright mom," Naruto mumbled sluggishly, his eyes now closed. I almost let out a chuckle at the look on Iruka's face when Naruto called him 'mom'… almost. "Don't worry." Naruto added, and then he slumped against Irkua's shoulder, sleep finally taking over.

The brunet man turned to face me "Thank you for bringing him home, Gaara. I don't even want to think about what could have happened if you hadn't found him." he stated.

"You're welcome," I replied, turning to walk away.

"Wait!" Iruka called, causing me to pause and turn back slightly to look at him. "It's getting really late Gaara." He stated, the concern on his features now aimed at me. "Are you sure you'll be ok walking home on your own? Do you want me to call someone to pick you up?"

"Thank you for the offer," I answered, "but I'll be fine." I stated with a polite smile. "You don't have to worry about me." I added.

"Oh, ok," Iruka replied, but I could still see the concern in his eyes. "Just be careful."

"I will," I assured him. Though I didn't understand why he was worrying about me when Naruto was in such a state. I started to walk away once he had finally closed the door, content with the fact that I knew Naruto was home and safe.

However, with the sudden absence of what little body heat Naruto had, I noticed that I began to feel lonelier than ever.


End file.
